Hiya! I have another Mako Mermaids story for you all. However, this one is all about our favorite mermaid principal Rita! This story will describe her early years on land, with a special twist in later chapters. This is rated T to be safe, and enjoy! Also, let me introduce the characters:

Rita- She's a bit more carefree, and she's 16 when the story starts.

Shelby- She's an OC who's 18 and Rita's best friend, and she'll be Rita's mentor on land (she also has gotten legs) Also, she is Aquata's mother.

Aquata- She's Shelby's 2 year old daughter, but doesn't have a major role.

Leah- Leah is the leader of the pod, and is quite strict according to Rita.

Harry- A 16 year old student at Suncoast High that Rita meets and falls in love with (Rita explained this in the beginning of season one)

Here we go! Enjoy :)

It was a glorious summer's day in the Gold Coast of Australia. All of the teens were out surfing, or enjoying the sun's tanning rays. Everyone avoided Mako Island as always, but the pod of mermaids that lived there were happy to have such a marvelous place to themselves. The Mako pod spent their summer days swimming out in the deep blue, telling stories, or singing beautiful songs. The teenaged mermaids were being trained at their mermaid school (which was held in the a lagoon by the shores of Mako) to master their powers, and earn their moon rings. Every class always has someone who aces everything, and knows each answer to every single question. That person (more like mermaid) was none other than Rita. She had become so determined to earn her moon ring, and aced each lesson with an impressive control on her powers.

"Well done, Rita." The instructor of the day's lesson praised her best student, "by the looks of it, you'll be getting your moon ring early!"

"That's her plan!" Smiled Shelby, Rita's best friend. Shelby was two years older than Rita, and had light brown hair and blue eyes. She was also a teen mother to her lovely daughter, Aquata

"Oh please, I don't need you bragging about me, that's my job!" Rita nudged her friend.

"Alright students, class is out! Have a nice day!" The instructor dismissed her students. Rita and Shelby were about to leave when their teacher stopped them.

"Rita, I have good news! I've told the mermaid councel about your improvement, and they've talked it over with the pod leader."

"What are you saying?" Rita knew the pod leader was strict, and she though for a moment that she was in trouble.

"I'm saying that you've earned your moon ring." The leader of the pod, Leah, intervened holding the dazzling ring Rita had always dreamed about.

"What? You're serious? That's amazing! Thank you!" Overwhelmed with shock, Rita put on her moon ring, gazing into the deep aquamarine hue of the stone, "so I don't have classes anymore?"

"You're all set, kiddo. You've proved that you're ready." Leah smiled at the adolescent mermaid.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go celebrate!" Shelby happily suggested. The two mermaids swam off to the beach.

~Later~

"Why'd you take me here? We can't go on land!" Rita practically scolded her friend.

"I can!" Shelby proudly announced. Rita's eyed widened at the news.

"What! That's against all mermaid laws! This is an outrage! Do you know what would happen of you got caught? You'd be banished!"

"Oh Rita, you're so cute when you're mad." Shelby giggled as Rita continued blabbering about more mermaid laws. Shelby dragged herself out of water, and used her heating power to dry herself off. Rita cautiously watched her friend's tail change to a pair of legs.

"I'll be back, I'm going to get you a surprise!" Shelby casually strutted into a nearby establishment called the "Ocean Cafe" Rita watched Shelby's feet, and how it would feel strange to walk. It was a foreign subject that was never covered in mermaid school, and Rita was dying to know more about walking. Soon enough, Shelby returned with two chocolate milkshakes.

"What in the name of Neptune is THAT?" Rita pointed to the strange drink Shelby bought for her.

"It's a chocolate milkshake. It's the most amazing thing in the world, and you have to try it!" Shelby replied to Rita, already sipping on hers. Rita took the frosty beverage from Shelby, and examined it. Maybe it wouldn't be bad. She tried some of it, and was amazed at the sweet flavor of held.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Rita exclaimed. She then eyed the cafe Shelby went into, "was it hard walking over there?"

"No, you just mimic what the land people do." Shelby explained, "let's take that guy for example. See how he's casually walking on the sidewalk?" Shelby pointed to a young man who happened to be walking nearby. However, Rita's attention to Shelby's explaining was all lost. Rita had taken notice to the young man, and he was absolutely handsome! He had Sandy blonde hair, and dazzling blue eyes. Rita couldn't stop staring at him. She felt a brand new feeling. It spiralled through her heart, and her head. Could it have been love?

"Rita!" Shelby spoke up, "are you paying attention?"

"What? Um, yes! Sorry, I was just..." Rita couldn't finish her sentence, or keep her eyes off of the land boy.

"Oh, I see..." Shelby put a smile on her face as she witnessed her friend staring at the land boy, "you think he's cute, huh?"

"What? No!" Rita denied, "...ok, he's sort of cute..." Rita then mentally scolded herself for admitting that. The land boy mentioned walked into the cafe, and disappeared behind the glass doors.

"Where'd he go?" Rita searched the area around the cafe with her eyes.

"Into the cafe. It's the land people's feeding time." Shelby explained, finishing off her milkshake.

"No! I have to see him again!" Rita exclaimed.

"Honey, you're a mermaid, and he's a land boy." Shelby replied, "the only way for you to see him again is to go on land." With that, Rita swam off, back to the lagoon to see how she could get legs.

~Later~

Rita found all of the information she needed engraved on a shell (they're similar to text books) about getting legs. It was scandalous, but if Shelby could have legs and get away with it, so could she.

"Rita there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! You didn't even finish your milkshake!" Shelby said.

"Shelby, I have a moon ring." Rita began.

"Yeah..." Shelby already knew where this was going.

"And tonight's a full moon..."

"You wouldn't!"

"I'm getting legs tonight, and you're going to help me." Rita proudly declared.

Well? What do you guys think? Leave a review if you like! They are very appreciated!